A pergola covers a flagstone outdoor living room with comfortably coordinated furniture
Patio kitchen - small traditional side yard stone patio kitchen idea in Philadelphia with a pergola

This is an example of a mid-sized rustic shade side yard stone garden path in Chicago for spring.

Outdoor patio features contemporary fireplace set in a stone tabletop, neutral patio furniture, stainless steel accents to pick up custom outdoor trellis. Michael deLeon

A row of Laurels provide the backdrop to a field of perennials: Rudbekia, Alchemilla, Campanula and Hydrangeas bounce out at you just as they do in this image. Photography by: Joe Hollowell

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional side yard landscaping in Boston.

Patio - mid-sized coastal side yard concrete patio idea in Orange County with no cover

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional partial sun side yard stone landscaping in New Orleans for summer.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional drought-tolerant and full sun side yard gravel garden path in Salt Lake City for spring.

Deck - large traditional side yard deck idea in Louisville with a roof extension

Years ago, Exterior Worlds was contacted by a couple by the names of Rick and Susan Ashcroft. They asked if we could do something about the lagoon-style swimming pool that had been built behind their house in the late1940s. This style had been very popular at that time, and it is still a favored by some of the world’s more lavish resorts. However, ever since the day they had purchased their home, the Ashcroft’s had always been agitated by the ostentatiousness of the whole thing, and had finally decided to have it redesigned as a natural swimming pool. They wanted their back yard to retain the feeling of a tropical locale, but lose the touristic element in favor of that of a cozier, more private corner of paradise. We agreed with their sentiments wholeheartedly. Just a cursory glance at the property confirmed that a natural swimming pool design was a much better fit for the grade of the landscape and the surrounding opportunities for vegetation and lighting. The Ashcroft residence was located on the side of a hill that sloped down toward a ravine, and the house itself house was built 40 feet back from the road. The steep grade of the land posed construction challenges to any type of water feature, but there was a way to build a natural swimming pool here that would achieve the aesthetic the Ashcroft’s were seeking and create a lasting element that required only limited and very intermittent periods of maintenance. We began by stripping the pool down to its shell and building a retaining wall that offset the grade of the land. We shaped the surrounding earth around it into a much deeper basin that would allow water to collect naturally like it does at the base of a cliff. A series of interlocking pavers was laid around the perimeter to create a flat surface that extended from the back of the home to the retaining wall. This is a standard aesthetic used in most natural swimming pools, but it also served a special, practical purpose in this instance. Since this area was subject to heavy land erosion from runoff rainwater, pavers provided a very efficient way of reconstructing key elements of the structure every 5-10 years. The natural swimming pool now appeared as an inviting portal into a remote hill country getaway, just a stone’s throw away from the back of the house. We made it easier to reach by building two series of stone steps that led down to either side of the water’s edge. We were careful to avoid making them look too much like stairs. Instead, we designed them to closely mimic the layers of rock that often jut from the sides of mountains and dormant volcanoes on islands all over the Pacific. To further develop this theme, we placed a large flat stone to serve as a diving area, and we created a waterfall on either side of it by laying down stones in a manner that created varying speeds of water. Our construction methods here were very unique in comparison to those of our competitors. We took almost a month to consciously and deliberately lay each stone by hand. While this may seem painstakingly detailed to some, the rewards were astonishing, because our natural swimming pool mimicked Nature in such a way that it lacked almost all evidence of human engineering, and looked virtually identical to something you would stumble upon in the jungle of a tropical paradise. If you are interested in any high-quality landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the high-end residential landscape services and garden design services discussed above for the Houston and the surrounding areas including memorial villages (Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, Hunter Creek Village), Tanglewood, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston (Hou), area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255 For more the 20 years Exterior Worlds has specialized in servicing many of Houston's fine neighborhoods.

Mariko Reed
Photo of a large modern partial sun side yard concrete paver garden path in San Francisco.

Photography: Jeri Koegel / Landscape Design: AMS Landscape Design Studios, Inc.
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary partial sun side yard landscaping in Orange County.

Modern Duplex in the heart of Chelsea hosts a family with a love for art. The open kitchen and dining area reside on the upper level, and overlook the square living room with double-height ceilings, a wall of glass, a half bathroom, and access to the private 711 sq foot out door patio.a double height 19' ceiling in the living room, shows off oil-finished, custom stained, solid oak flooring, Aprilaire temperature sensors with remote thermostat, recessed base moldings and Nanz hardware throughout.Kitchen custom-designed and built Poliform cabinetry, Corian countertops and Miele appliances Photo Credit: Francis Augustine

The main feature of this patio is the natural gas heater mounted on the ceiling to the right. Direct from Australia, this Bromic heater puts out the heat and is a beautiful touch as well. The patio also features a solid wood door with a full-size single pane of glass to access the kitchen and future natural gas connection for a BBQ.

Deck - mid-sized traditional side yard deck idea in San Diego with no cover

Flagstone Walkway
Photo of a mid-sized traditional partial sun side yard stone garden path in Columbus.

Green View
Example of a small classic side yard brick patio design in Chicago

Inspiration for a mid-sized asian partial sun side yard landscaping in Hawaii with decking for summer.

Steps carved into ledge
Inspiration for a small rustic side yard retaining wall landscape in Burlington.